Power to Win Series 7/20 Session - Speaker Bios

Jaqueline Gutierrex, Youth Program Coordinator, PODER SF

Jacqueline is born and raised in San Francisco, CA (Unceded Ohlone Territory) with roots in Mexico City. She is an active member of PODER’s Urban Campesinxs and Bicis del Pueblo where she explores ways to manifest and cultivate creative, healing and regenerative learning experiences. Jacqueline is passionate about bridging the intersections between culture, art, education and our relationship to land to empower community- locally and globally.

Kit Lee, Membership Coordinator, CAAAV- Organizing Asian Communities

Originally from Los Angeles, Kit joined CAAAV in 2020 with experience building an organization for undocumented Asians & Pacific Islanders, providing immigration legal services to Koreans in NYC, and abolitionist organizing as part of the No New Jails campaign. They are deeply committed to building and being part of organizations that harness & wield the power of the working class to construct a future where the working people have seized control over our labor, resources, and destiny.

Muhammad Sankari, Lead Organizer Arab American Action Network

The son of Arab immigrants, Muhammad grew up in Wisconsin and joined the AAAN in 2010. Since then, he has worked primarily with young people helping to develop the youth-led Campaign to End Racial Profiling.

Maya Sheppard, Executive Director, Hearing Youth Voices

Maya is a Connecticut born and raised advocate, mentor, poet and creative instructor and most recently was appointed to be HYV's Executive Director in the Summer of 2022. Maya joined the HYV team in 2018 with 10 years of youth development, facilitation & org building experience. She comes from a large, tight-net family and seeks council in her older sisters for just about everything. Fun fact - she is one of seven siblings! The youngest sister. Maya believes in the intentional and accountable investment in the leadership of Young Black and Brown people and has served as HYV's Youth Organizer to support HYV's campaign for Black History &  Ethnic Studies in New London & in partnership with the SEJ and the CT BBSU on HB 7082 for statewide implementation. As Director of Organizing - other campaigns include the #FEDUPNL Campaign resulting in a Board of Education vote for Police Free Schools in New London and over $400,000 of New London's budget being reallocated to youth & human services.